I've just dropped to eights on a Strat....

crunchman

I experimented with 9.5s on one of my guitars, and I have to be really careful not to pull the strings sharp.

I do need to develop a lighter touch, but can't ever see myself going to 8s.  I'd be pulling everything sharp all the time.

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Interesting thread, especially seeing that list of famous players and what they use! 

I use 10s but have never really experimented with much else. It's always just been what I'm used to and never had much need to change. It does make me wonder though, I have a bit of a heavy touch and often have to focus on not pushing or pulling notes sharp.

Would trying a set of 8s on one guitar just as an exercise actually end up being useful as a training exercise in developing a softer touch? Or would any skill developed not really transfer over when I went back to 10s? 

stephen.wood125

DeeTee said:

Wolfetone said:

guitars4you said:

Wimp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so rare to sell 8's these days - I sell far more 10's than 9's - But as always each to their own and if it suits you then all well and good

Many of our hero's are in to such light gauge strings, so no issue if it suits you - Believe Billy Gibbons favours an 8 gauge and not many slate his tone 

Not sure about 8's on your Tele - for big chords you might find it to slinky, both feel and tone - But for light touch then it might be okay

Billy Gibbons actually plays on custom 7's nowadays.

Good god, he must have a touch like a feather. If I played 7's on a Gibson scale length, I don't think I'd ever strike the same note twice.

Wiz'd. I've not got the touch to play really light strings. I actually don't have the talent to play anything particularly well, but I feel like a robust fart could actually fret 7's I'd definitely never judge anyone for playing whatever gauge or whatever they enjoy.

stephen.wood125

DeeTee said:

Wolfetone said:

guitars4you said:

Wimp !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so rare to sell 8's these days - I sell far more 10's than 9's - But as always each to their own and if it suits you then all well and good

Many of our hero's are in to such light gauge strings, so no issue if it suits you - Believe Billy Gibbons favours an 8 gauge and not many slate his tone 

Not sure about 8's on your Tele - for big chords you might find it to slinky, both feel and tone - But for light touch then it might be okay

Billy Gibbons actually plays on custom 7's nowadays.

Good god, he must have a touch like a feather. If I played 7's on a Gibson scale length, I don't think I'd ever strike the same note twice.

Wiz'd. I've not got the touch to play really light strings. I actually don't have the talent to play anything particularly well, but I feel like a robust fart could actually fret 7's I'd definitely never judge anyone for playing whatever gauge or whatever they enjoy.

DannyP

Wolfetone said:

Just looked this up;

Mark Knopfler .009

I'm surprised at this. I'm sure i saw a documentary where he described the strings on his strat as 'stair rods' or similar?

ICBM

My little girly hands don't find anything lighter than 11s comfortable, or I'm just about OK with 10s on a Strat/Tele scale length. But that might be because I play bass as well.

For what it's worth I dislike Billy Gibbons' sound but like Tony Iommi's, so I don't think it's due to the string gauge. I think you can tell that they're both light-string sounds though.

Wolfetone

DannyP said:

Wolfetone said:

Just looked this up;

Mark Knopfler .009

I'm surprised at this. I'm sure i saw a documentary where he described the strings on his strat as 'stair rods' or similar?

Perhaps they are on his Resonator?

Philly_Q

ICBM said:

My little girly hands don't find anything lighter than 11s comfortable, or I'm just about OK with 10s on a Strat/Tele scale length. But that might be because I play bass as well.

In my very limited experience of playing bass, when you go back to guitar the strings feel like rubber bands for a while, so that makes sense!

Henrytwang

I use 10/46s on all my electric guitars but replace the top E with a 9 and the G with a 15. Been doing this for years, it just suits me.

Fretwired

Jan Akkerman also used 8's in the 70s ... I tried about 25 years ago and couldn't stand them. I'm now on 9's but find I can't play for too long so I may have to try 8's again. Getting old .. never good.

guitars4you

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

Philly_Q

guitars4you said:

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

Which reminds me, I'm sure I read once that Vini Reilly uses extremely light strings, possibly starting with .006".

I don't know much about him - in fact I'm not sure I've ever heard any of his music - but I think he had health issues and may no longer be able to play.

duotone

For practising I don't see that it's a bad thing.

I've never tried 8's, I think it was popular with shred guitarists.

Veganic

Philly_Q said:

guitars4you said:

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

Which reminds me, I'm sure I read once that Vini Reilly uses extremely light strings, possibly starting with .006".

I don't know much about him - in fact I'm not sure I've ever heard any of his music - but I think he had health issues and may no longer be able to play.

Vini had a stroke a few years ago now. 

 I don't know if he had sixes, heard he had 7s. Mainly a Stratocaster player in the latter years. Not sure how he is now. I used to go to as many Durutti Column gigs as possible.  He's not like other guitarists.

You will probably have heard his work on Morrissey's first solo album. Or the Jerry Maguire film? Loads on Youtube. 

Lebarque

8's on a strat?! Shocking. 10-46 all the way. String 'em up and play 'em 'til your hands get used to them. 

gordiji

Surprised Ywangie uses such a heavy bottom E & also that B.May uses such a light one.

9.5's are my latest 42 to 48 on the bottom E depending on the set.

ICBM

guitars4you said:

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

From memory it was a .034". There's this pic on the Rotosound website, but frustratingly the low E gauge is cut off!



I think that's right though... it would have been a 36 in the 7s, and 38 in the 8s.

mikeyrob73

I wanna try these 6s 

richardhomer

guitars4you said:

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

And you try telling that to the kids of today - and they won’t believe you....

guitars4you

richardhomer said:

guitars4you said:

There was a time that Rotosound offered a set starting of at .006" - can't recall what the low E was

And you try telling that to the kids of today - and they won’t believe you....

maybe it was just a rumour or fading memory on my part, but somewhere at the back of my mind I heard/read that Brian May used a 6 or 7 gauge for a while - Think I heard this back in the late 70's early 80's